LifeNews.com Pro-Life News Report
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
| For pro-life news updated throughout the day, visit LifeNews.com. |
Current Headlines
• Democrats May Look to House to OK Pro-Abortion Health Care Bill if Brown Wins
• Lawmakers Still Trying to Create Abortion Funding Compromise in Health Care Bill
• Martin Luther King Jr's Niece: Dream Includes Protecting Unborn From Abortion
• Congressman: As America Honors Martin Luther King Jr., Abortion Targets Blacks
• Obama Speech for Pro-Abortion Candidate Coakley Disrupted by Pro-Life Heckler
• Thousands March Against New Planned Parenthood Abortion Business in Houston
• Polls, Pro-Life Group Confident Scott Brown Will Defeat Martha Coakley in Mass
• Coming to America: World Pro-Life Leaders to Join Americans at March for Life
• Ohio Pro-Life Candidates Kasich, Portman Lead Strickland, Fisher in New Polls
• Russia Health Minister Suggests Cutting Abortions to Combat Underpopulation
• Pro-Life News: Stupak, Virginia, Texas, Mississippi, New Mexico, Alaska, Abortion
--> We are now at over 46 percent of our campaign goal to add 2,000 new subscribers to the LifeNews.com pro-life news email lists. If you haven't yet, please encourage your pro-life friends and family to sign up for our Daily News at http://www.Lifenews.com/digest or our Weekly News at http://www.Lifenews.com/weekly
You can also send us a list of pro-life email addresses for complimentary subscriptions to our news at news@lifenews.com
Democrats May Look to House to OK Pro-Abortion Health Care Bill if Brown Wins
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Republican Senate candidate Scott Brown is leading in polls and if they hold up on Tuesday in the Massachusetts special election, he would become the 41st vote against the pro-abortion health care bill in the Senate. That is confounding efforts by President Barack Obama and Democrats to get the bill passed.
Brown faces pro-abortion Democrat Martha Coakley in a race to replace the late pro-abortion Sen. Ted Kennedy.
The outcome of the election has a significant bearing on the health care-abortion debate because the Senate approved its bill on a narrow 60-40 margin. Should Brown win, he has already promised to support the filibuster against the measure.
Democrats and Obama have been finalizing a compromise version of the legislation that would still require 60 votes in the Senate and a Brown win would drop the margin to 59-41 -- enough to defeat the bill.
As a result, Obama and top Democrats are considering the alternative of having the House pass the Senate bill even though large segments of the Democratic caucus oppose various sections of the Senate bill -- including its provisions allowing abortion funding. Unlike the House measure, which contains the Stupak amendment prohibiting abortion funding under the government-run health care plan, the Senate bill allows abortion funding and contains other pro-abortion problems.
The realization of what a Scott Brown victory in Massachusetts means for the pro-abortion health care bill has slowly dawned on the White House and they're getting desperate for a way out. Full story at LifeNews.com
Lawmakers Still Trying to Create Abortion Funding Compromise in Health Care Bill
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Although the outcome of the Massachusetts Senate election could overturn the applecart, lawmakers are still trying to figure out what abortion language to include in the final version of the health care bill. The Senate measure funds abortions while the House bill has the Stupak amendment stopping abortion funding.
Abortion backers are hoping to find a way to include language that isn't as strong as the Stupak amendment but will still be accepted by most lawmakers.
"We think it's possible to come up with language that the Pro-Choice Caucus would not 'embrace,' but would be acceptable," pro-abortion Rep. Jan Schakowsky, an Illinois Democrat, told the Washington Times today. "It's really sensitive, and we need to figure it out."
But any language that fails to truly ban abortion funding in health care will likely earn the opposition of Stupak and a group of 10-12 lawmakers who voted yes originally and may change their vote on the final bill.
Rep. Steve Driehaus of Ohio is one such Democrat who could vote no on the final product because of abortion.
"I believe in clarity and simplicity, and we should make it simple and clear that taxpayer funds aren't going to abortion coverage," he told Gannett on Sunday. Full story at LifeNews.com
Martin Luther King Jr's Niece: Dream Includes Protecting Unborn From Abortion
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- On a day when Americans across the country are celebrating the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his desire to regard all people as Americans worthy of equal treatment, his niece says King's dream, if announced today, would also include protecting unborn children from abortion.
Dr. Alveda King, today, is celebrating Uncle s life and she said he would agree that, when it comes to treating all people with respect, that he would include babies before birth.
Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke of a Beloved Community where all are treated with respect and dignity, Alveda King told LifeNews.com today.
He fought against society s exclusion of people who were treated as less than human because of their appearance," she added. "Today, we are compelled to continue Uncle Martin s fight by standing up for those who are treated as less than human because of their helplessness and inconvenience."
King told LifeNews.com, The unborn are as much a part of the Beloved Community as are newborns, infants, teenagers, adults, and the elderly." Full story at LifeNews.com
Congressman: As America Honors Martin Luther King Jr., Abortion Targets Blacks
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- As Americans honor civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., a congressman says the nation is not aware of how Planned Parenthood targets black Americans with abortions. Arizona Rep. Trent Franks says the abortion industry has preyed on African-American communities for too long.
Franks told LifeNews.com today that he is "calling on Americans to work toward ending the abortion industry's disproportionate targeting of minorities."
"Today, we remember Martin Luther King, Jr. for dedicating his life to the fulfillment of a truth outlined in the Declaration of Independence: that all men are created equal, regardless of their skin color," Franks said. "While we have come a long way in the 40+ years since his death, another major hurdle in the Civil Rights Movement still looms before us: the disturbing targeting of minority populations by the abortion industry."
Franks points to startling figures to make his case. "An astonishing 50% of African-American babies are killed by abortion," he points out. "And nearly 80% of abortion clinics are deliberately located in or near predominantly minority neighborhoods." Full story at LifeNews.com
Obama Speech for Pro-Abortion Candidate Coakley Disrupted by Pro-Life Heckler
Boston, MA (LifeNews.com) -- A Sunday speech by pro-abortion President Barack Obama at a rally for pro-abortion Massachusetts senate candidate Martha Coakley was interrupted by a pro-life heckler. The pro-life advocate managed to tie up the speech for three minutes and eventually caused Obama to lose his place.
The rally took place at a venue at Northeastern University that holds 3,000, but only 2,000-2,500 turned up for the Obama event.
One participant was a pro-life advocate who, during the speech, help up a sign with fetal development pictures of unborn children and language saying, "Jesus Loves All Babies."
The crowd booed the man as he interrupted the speech and talked about how Obama has promoted abortion as president.
The heckler according to writer Rick Moran in The American Thinker, was able to completely fluster Obama. "Of course, he was drowned out by Coakley supporters but our president seemed a bit taken aback that anyone would dare interrupt him and not be struck by a bolt of lightening," Moran wrote.
Moran was surprised that Obama appeared to be unable to handle the criticism. "Watch Obama wait...and wait...and wait not quite knowing how to handle the situation and then, tellingly, losing his place on the teleprompter," he wrote. Full story at LifeNews.com
Thousands March Against New Planned Parenthood Abortion Business in Houston
Houston, TX (LifeNews.com) -- Thousands of pro-life advocates joined together to protest the massive new abortion business in Houston, Texas that appears to be the largest abortion facility of its kind in the nation. This six-story Planned Parenthood abortion "super center" is located in the middle of four minority neighborhoods.
The pro-life advocates -- representing people of all races -- decried Planned Parenthood for relocating to a former bank building next to three predominantly Hispanic and one African-American neighborhood.
Family Research Council president Tony Perkins was on hand to deliver an address. "Planned Parenthood's Houston abortion super center will most likely become the prototype for so-called 'preventative care' centers under President Obama's health care plan," he warned.
He said that the government-run health care restructuring bill in Congress must be stopped or Planned Parethood will get more more for more centers.
"Make no mistake about it, the present health care bill gives bureaucrats in Washington great discretion in how they dole out funds and to what programs. Most of these decisions will be made by Kathleen Sebelius, the former governor of Kansas who has a record that made her the most pro-abortion governor in America," he said. Full story at LifeNews.com
Polls, Pro-Life Group Confident Scott Brown Will Defeat Martha Coakley in Mass
Boston, MA (LifeNews.com) -- A slate of new polls and the statewide pro-life group in Massachusetts are confident that Senate candidate Scott Brown will defeat pro-abortion activist Martha Coakley in the race for the seat vacated by the late pro-abortion Sen. Ted Kennedy.
Four new polls released in the last 48 hours all show Brown leading Coakley anywhere from three to ten points.
The Democratic firm PPP, which, despite its partisan bent, had a good track record in the 2008 elections, shows Brown extending his lead from one point last week to five points now.
The conservative media outlet Pajamas Media has a poll by the Republican firm CrossTarget showing Brown up by 10 percent.
All of the polls have Coakley under the magic 50 percent mark, which prompted respected political analyst Stu Rothenberg to change his ranking of the race from a toss-up to a "leaning takeover" for Brown, who opposes the pro-abortion health care bill in Congress.
Rothenberg writes today: "While special elections often come down to turnout and they therefore are more difficult to predict than normal elections the combination of public and private survey research and anecdotal information now strongly suggests that Republican Scott Brown will defeat Democrat Martha Coakley in tomorrow s race to fill the remainder of the late-Sen. Edward Kennedy s seat." Full story at LifeNews.com
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Leaders of pro-life groups from across the world are coming to the U.S. this week to join their American colleagues at the annual March for Life. They are hoping to draw inspiration from the hundreds of thousands of pro-life advocates who will attend and to learn new strategies to stop abortions. The pro-life advocates will come from as far away as Africa, Europe, South America, Asia and island nations to stand in solidarity with their American brothers and sisters and protest the radical expansion of abortion under President Barack Obama.
They will also speak at a conference sponsored by Human Life International on January 22 at the Washington Court Hotel in Washington before the March for Life.
Joseph Meaney, an HLI official who coordinates projects between the organization's U.S. headquarters and its international contacts, talked with LifeNews.com. "America's March for Life is now the world's March for Life," he said. Full story at LifeNews.com
Ohio Pro-Life Candidates Kasich, Portman Lead Strickland, Fisher in New Polls
Columbus, OH (LifeNews.com) -- The Ohio Right to Life pro-life organization has released the results of a new poll showing two pro-life candidates leading their opponents in top 2010 election matchups. The poll has gubernatorial candidate John Kasich and U.S. Senate candidate Rob Portman leading.
The Wenzel Strategies telephone survey of 1001 Ohio registered voters found Kasich holds a 10-point lead over pro-abortion Gov. Ted Strickland. Portman holds a six-point lead over both potential opponents Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher and Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, the survey found.
Ohio Right to Life executive director Mike Gonidakis told LifeNews.com today the results are similar to a Rasmussen Reports survey released last week showing both candidates leading.
"The 2010 election is critically important to the pro-life movement," Gonidakis said. "We are encouraged to see pro-life candidates lead in two of the most impactful races of the year," he added. "Ohio Right to Life will continue to monitor these races and inform the pro-life community as to where our candidates stand." Full story at LifeNews.com
Russia Health Minister Suggests Cutting Abortions to Combat Underpopulation
Moscow, Russia (LifeNews.com) -- A top health minister in Russia suggests the nation should consider cutting abortions to combat its problems of underpopulation. The Russian nation is desperately in need of people as the prevalence of abortions has caused such severe problems that it has ravaged the nation's workforce.
Underpopulation is rampant in Russia, which is seeing worker shortages that are hampering the economy and companies across the country. The nation's population shrank by 12 million people in the last 16 years alone.
While some government-sponsored efforts have helped, the troubled economy and continued abortions are crippling the country.
Health Minister Tatyana Golikova said the Russian government is meeting to determine how to reduce abortions. "The topic of reducing abortions is definitely on today's agenda. This won't solve the birthrate problem 100 percent, but around 20 to 30 percent," Russian news agencies indicated Golikova saying.
Golikova said there were 1.714 million births in Russia in 2008 but 1.234 million abortions as the country continued having one of the highest abortion rates in the world along with other eastern European nations. Full story at LifeNews.com
Pro-Life News: Stupak, Virginia, Texas, Mississippi, New Mexico, Alaska, Abortion
• Pro-Life Democrat Bart Stupak Now Probably Won't Run for Michigan Governor
• Virginia Abortion Advocates Continue Promoting Pro-Abortion License Plates
• Texas Man Arrested in the Murder of Pregnant teenage Girlfriend
• Mississippi Lt. Governor Leads Personhood-Abortion Petition Amendment Effort
• New Mexico Pro-Abortion Gov. Candidate Diane Denish Raking in Big Money
• Alaska Pregnancy Center Director Promotes Parental Consent on Abortion
Full stories for each pro-life news brief at LifeNews.com
| Looking for a Pro-Life Speaker for 2010? |
| Looking for a pro-life speaker for your next banquet, conference or convention? LifeNews.com editor Steven Ertelt is a low-cost speaker who can entertain and educate your audience as well as help you with a fundraising pitch if necessary. He can also speak on any pro-life topic. For more information, email news@LifeNews.com. |
Encourage Friends to Sign Up for Free Pro-Life News From LifeNews.com
